Camera kit donation helps budding photographers to get creative

A donation of professional camera equipment from the University of South Wales (USW) is set to help budding photographers from all walks of life to enjoy creative, hands-on workshops with Ffotogallery Cardiff.

Ffotogallery is the national development agency for photography and lens-based media in Wales, presenting exhibitions by Welsh and international artists, as well as film screenings and community workshops.

As part of its Engagement and Learning Programme, Ffotogallery runs workshops and courses to create opportunities for learners to develop practical and theoretical photography skills. Some recent projects have included working in partnership with Engage Cymru, Wales Millennium Centre and others to engage young people from ethnically diverse backgrounds in visual arts; and working with Oasis Cardiff to support asylum seekers and refugees in creating an exhibition of their photographs.

With multiple camera kits available, learners in current future workshops will have access to their own equipment and be able to experiment with different types of cameras and photographs.

Cynthia MaiWa Sitei, who studied MA Documentary Photography at USW and is now Curator at Ffotogallery, said: “Being able to access a range of cameras will really enrich the experience of those taking part in our workshops. For many, this is the first time they are working on photography projects, so this equipment will make a huge difference.”

Liz Norcott, Production Co-ordinator at Ffotogallery, added: “We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the University of South Wales for their kind donation of professional cameras to support our education and engagement activities. Thanks to this donation, our members and anyone interested in photography will benefit from our sessions immensely. USW’s generosity is giving opportunities, resources, and support to this generation and opening doors for the next.”

Peter Bobby, Course Leader for BA (Hons) Photography at USW, added: “We are delighted to be able to donate these camera kits to Ffotogallery. Knowing that they will be used in workshops to introduce people from a wide range of backgrounds to photography – especially those who have not had such opportunities before – is fantastic, and supports our shared aim to widen participation in the subject.”